1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to testers for telecommunication circuit pairs, and more particularly, to testers that identify particular pairs from among numerous pairs terminated on connectors or jacks.
2. Description of the Related Art
Telecommunication (telephone and data) circuits are usually distributed over distant physical locations, for instance, in a hospital or university there are telecommunication extensions with the circuit pairs connected on one end to jacks in different buildings and the other end terminating on a central connector block. Ordinarily, when the identification of these circuit pairs becomes necessary, two technicians have to use walkie-talkies and one of the technicians applies a signal at one end of the circuit pair that is tested for and at the other end the second technician receives the signal.
The present invention obviates this by using a transmitter device that is removably connected to the conventional connectors in a central point or main distribution terminal from where all extension jacks are connected and a receiver device is carried by one technician who goes from jack to jack identifying each circuit pair. This eliminates the need for one person at the central point and the identification is performed at electronic speed.
The closest related art, to the best of applicant's knowledge, appears to be a commercially available Pair Identifier System currently marketed by Hewlett Packard under Model Nos. 4960B/4961B. This system comprises, basically, a Pair Identifier Office Unit (4960B) and a Pair Identifier Field Unit (4961B). The latter queries the former by sending signals which are processed and sent back. However, only one Field Unit may be used simultaneously to interact with the Office Unit. Assuming that the 100 pairs limitation in the Hewlett Packard device may be lifted and it could be made to work with 5,000 pairs (a large government institution, university, hospital, etc.) it would take an enormous amount of time for one person to go through all of them. With the present invention, if desired, more than one person may use the receiver to identify pairs independently from each other.
Other patents describing the closest subject matter provide for a number of more or less complicated features that fail to solve the problem in an efficient and economical way. None of these patents suggest the novel features of the present invention.